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{The Application
Application for the Godly
The Right Performance of Holy Duties
Directions for the Duty of Prayer
Be Constant in the Exercise of Daily Prayer}
Bring yourselves to, and hold yourselves to, frequent and constant performance of the duty of prayer. There must be performance or there cannot be right performance. Regarding those who never or seldom pray, it is a sure and penetrating sign that the root of the matter is not in them. Those who can live without prayer are dead while they are alive. Prayer is the first fruits of Christianity. It was said about Saul [Paul], as a token that he was a convert, that he prayed. The living child comes crying into the world and it is a token of life and likewise, prayer is a means by which the new life is nourished. Prayer is a Christian’s key to unlock the storehouses and treasuries for souls. God has given a key to all His treasures to the person who can pray. Prayer will not only unlock the clouds as Elijah’s prayer did and bring down rain to refresh the dry and parched earth, but it will unlock Heaven, too. It will unlock the ark and Mercy Seat and bring down spiritual blessings on the soul. Praying is a Christian’s knocking at the gate of Heaven and is that knocking to which the promise is made, “Knock and it will be opened” (Matthew 7:7). The Word that the Lord speaks to us is God’s knocking at our doors: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock” (Revelation 3:20). Praying is our knocking at the Lord’s door and at the gate of Heaven that they may be opened. By the way, learn that if you refuse to hear God’s knock, it is just for Him to not hear yours. If God’s voice is not heard on earth, your voice will not be heard in Heaven. Fear not; you will be heard if you will hear Him who speaks to you from Heaven, and your cry will enter Heaven.
Our souls will never thrive or flourish unless the rain and showers of heavenly grace descend and fall upon our souls. And we cannot expect those showers to come down unless we look up.
Those who do not pray may be considered heathens. “Pour out your wrath on the nations that know you not, and on the peoples that call not on your name” (Jeremiah 10:25 ESV). The unholy ones of the earth are described by this character: “None … seek God. They are all corrupt. There is none who does good … [They] do not call on the Lord” (Psalm 53:2–4).252
Where prayer is not, there is usually cursing, foul language, and every abomination. Look at the non-praying people and families among you and see how little good there is to be found. See if they are not like so many dead and dry trees on which no spiritual fruit appears or like so many dark holes into which no spiritual light ever shines, like so many filthy sewers in which every vile thing lodges.
Beloved, I have often pressed this duty on you. I have pressed personal, secret prayer so that there not be one person found among you who does not pray. I have pressed family joint prayer so that there may not be one family found among you where God is not thus worshiped. I have often pressed this on you and given you particular helps and directions about it. I have not been negligent to remind you of it. So if there are any prayerless people or families among you, the guilt of it must lie at your own doors.
But will you now listen to me in this thing? Will you give yourselves to prayer? No word that is spoken to you for the good of your souls will ever prosper with you if this advice does not prosper. It is useless for me to persuade you to live a godly life if you will not be persuaded to live a praying life. If you want to ever come to anything, then see that this exhortation does not come to nothing. “Therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers” (1 Peter 4:7).253 Be urgent and constant in prayer. Set up your resolutions and set your time. Set your time and keep your time. Do not put off this duty by pretending you pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17) every day and every hour. Just as the pretense of an every day’s Sabbath comes down to no Sabbath, so it is usually the case with prayer; the supposed praying without ceasing of some carnal wretches is praying not at all. “Get into your closet,”254 says Christ. Get yourself a place and set a time when you may be alone with God, where you may make it your business to seek the Lord. Brethren, I say again, if you will not allow me to prevail with you in this thing, I may even spare my labor of speaking any other things to you. I have no hope of success elsewhere if I am not successful here. Due to private conversations, some of you have given me some good hopes of the work of grace begun in your hearts. Yet I have found that there has still been a neglect of daily prayer. This has so dampened my heart that my hopes have been brought almost as low as nothing. By experience, I have found that such people, after advice and warning, would not afterward be brought to the constant exercise of this duty. And if they had retained any savor of Christianity at all, they have been at a standstill from year to year without the least sign of any improvement to be seen.255 Therefore, if you will ever listen to me about anything that I offer for your soul’s good, deny me not in this. Set upon the daily exercise of secret prayer. If you are resolved on its performance, I will then be encouraged to help you on in the right performance of prayer in the next section.
252To call on the Lord (or on His Name) simply means to pray. For example, when a vendor “calls on” a customer, it is to have a conversation with the customer.
253A literal Greek translation would be “serious and watchful for prayers.” Does this apply directly to our prayers, or to our life generally for the sake of our prayers? Different translations insert additional words that tend toward one meaning or the other. Of course, on the basis of other Scripture, both are commanded.
254The idea of the prayer closet originates in Matthew 6:6: “But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door …” (NKJV). The KJV uses “closet,” while modern translations use “room.” The former always implies a private space, while the latter does not. In most modern usage, a closet is storage space, but the definition still includes the meaning of a place of retreat and privacy, which space may be small or even large and multi-roomed. Both today and in times past people have constructed or set up private places to be used solely for prayer and private devotions. The prayer closet has thus historically been an important concept among devout believers. The editor therefore wishes to strongly encourage believers who do not have ready access to private space for personal prayer and devotions to provide private space for themselves as they are able. The space should not be unduly uncomfortable or contain distractions. If not already present, illumination, a chair, a table or desk, kneeling pads, and the like may be helpful. Some find walking an aid to alertness and they may have access to rooms, paths, or trails suitable to walking and praying in solitude. Christ heeded His own command and frequently prayed in solitude (Luke 5:16).
255Lack of prayer is a severe hindrance to spiritual growth as Alleine says. But lack of prayer is also a symptom of spiritual deadness.
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